Storage and dispensing device



April 12, 1966 M. CAMPANELLA v3,245,580

STORAGE AND DISPENSING DEVICE 7 Filed July 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR MARIETTA CAMPANELLA BY 9 e ATTOENEY April 1966 M. CAMPANELLA' I, 3,245,580

STORAGE AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed July 1, 1963 a Sheets-Sheet 2 64w 1 312 2a J64 FIG. 3

- INVE NTOR MARIETTA CAMPANELLA United States Patent ice 3,245,580 STORAGE AND DISPENSING DEVICE Marietta Campanella, 309 Bound Brook Ave., Piscataway Township, New Brunswick, NJ. Filed July 1, 1963, Ser. No. 291,910 Claims. (Cl. 22134) The present invention relates generally to devices of the type utilized for storing and dispensing articles such as disposable tissues and the like and, more specifically, pertains to a device which provides a disguised, concealed compartment for storing and selectively dispensing personal items such as catamenial articles in the form of sanitary napkins, tampons and like objects.

Disposable tissues have come to be well known and widely accepted for various and sundry uses about the ordinary household. Many devices have been developed for providing a convenient source of such tissues in the home. A large number of these devices are in the form of containers from which tissues may be easily dispensed wherever and whenever needed. Such devices are now familiar objects about a great number of households.

It has been found desirable for women to also have a readily available source of catamenial articles, generally in the form of either sanitary napkins or tompons, at convenient locations in the household. However, such articles are often hidden from open view by being placed in cabinets and drawers so as not to be accidentally discovered and as a result are not always conveniently available wherever and whenever needed.

It is therefore an important object of the invention to provide a device for storing a supply of catamenial articles wherever desired, yet out of plain sight, and which is capable of conveniently dispensing such articles whenever needed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for storing personal articles, such as catamenial articles, in a concealed compartment and selectively dispensing such articles therefrom, the device being disguised as a commonly accepted household object so as to be capable of being placed wherever desired for providing a convenient source of such personal articles out of plain sight at that location.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination storage and dispensing device for storing articles in a disguished, concealed compartment and selectively dispensing such articles therefrom, the device being of simple construction and easily fabricated of relatively inexpensive materials.

Briefly, the invention may be described as a combination storage and dispensing device for storing articles in a disguised, concealed compartment and selectively dispensing such articles therefrom. The device has a container member which provides first and second compartments. A cover member is capable of cooperatively engaging the container member in such a position that the first compartment is closed and the second compartment is closed and concealed. Obvious means in the cover member provide access to the first compartment when the cover member is in the above position for disguising the existence of the second compartment. The cover member is selectively movable with respect to the container member to reveal and provide access to the second compartment. The first compartment may be adapted to receive a stack of disposable tissues, in which case the obvious means would provide an opening in the first compartment for dispensing the tissues so that the device takes on the appearance of an ordinary tissue dispensing container when the cover is in the above position.

The invention will be more fully understood, and further objects and advantages thereof will become apparent, in the following detailed description of an embodiment of 3,245,580 Patented Apr. 12, 1966 the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a device constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view, partially sectioned, of the device of FIGURE 1 with the component parts in position to disclose the inner details of the device;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view of the device of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, a storage and dispensing device constructed in accordance with the invention is indicated generally at 10. A stack of convenient-1y dispensed disposable tissues 12 is shown lying within the device 10 so that the device normally has the general appearance, as seen in FIGURE 1, of an ordinary tissue dispensing container, now a familiar sight in various locations about a large number of households. The tissues 12. may be stacked within their own box 14, which itself has a dispensing opening 16, in a manner now Well known in the packaging and sale of such disposable tissues.

As set forth above, a primary object of the device 10 is to store a supply of catamenial articles, indicated generally in the form of sanitary napkins 18 in FIGURE 2, wherever desired, yet out of plain sight, and conveniently dispense them whenever needed. Device 10 accomplishes this end by providing a container member 20 which has at least two compartments 22 and 24, the first compartment 22 adapted for receiving the stacked tissues 12 and the second compartment 24 being capable of receiving the articles 18, shown placed within a tray member 26 which may be slidably received within the second compartment Ehroygh either end thereof (as indicated in phantom at In order to store articles 18 out of plain sight, a cover member 30 telescopically engages container member 20, and when tray member 26 lies completely within second compartment 24, cover member 30 may be moved to a position where compartment 24, together with tray member 26 and the articles 18 contained therein, is concealed by the cover member, as best seen in FIGURE 1. It is desirable that device 10 take on the appearance of a common household article which would not appear to be out of place in areas of the home where it would be convenient to maintain a supply of catamenial articles. Thus, obvious means are placed in the cover member 30 for providing visible access to the first compartment 22, these means being illustrated in the form of a dispensing opening 32, to disguise the existence of the second compartment 24 and its contents by enduing device 10 with the appearance of an ordinary tissue dispensing container which would appear to be quite at home in locations where it is convenient to maintain a ready supply of articles 18. When it becomes necessary to gain access to the supply of articles 18, cover member 30 is merely raised to the position shown in FIGURE 2, thereby exposing compartment 24, together with tray member 26 and the contents thereof, and the tray member is readily moved out of the compartment 24 to dispense articles 18. Tissues 12 are readily placed within compartment 22 when cover member 30 is raised so far as to completely remove the cover member from the container member 20.

Turning now to FIGURES 3 and 4, specific details of construction of the above described embodiment of the invention may be seen. The container member 20 has a horizontal bottom 40 and parallel side walls 42 extending vertically upwardly from the bottom. A partition 44 extends between side walls 42 to divide the receptacle provided by bottom 40 and side walls 42 into the first and second compartments 22 and 24, respectively.

The tray member 26 is movable into and out of second compartment 24 and has a bottom 50 with opposite sides 52 parallel to side walls 42 and opposite ends 54, the sides 52 and ends 54 extending vertically upwardly from the bottom 50. Ends 54 are each provided with a downwardly depressed portion 56 for facilitating the gripping of tray member 26 when the tray member is moved endwise out of compartment 24 as well as for facilitating the removal of articles 18 (shown in phantom in FIGURES 3 and 4) from the tray member.

The cover member 30 has a horizontal top-60 with parallel side walls 62 and parallel end Walls 64 depending vertically downwardly from the top 60. When the cover member is in position to conceal the second compartment 24, side walls 62 overlap the side walls 42 of container member 20 and end walls 64 overlap ends 54 of the tray member to close and conceal the second compartment 24 together with the tray member 26 and its contents. As explained hereinbefore, dispensingopening 32 provides obvious access to first compartment 22 wherein stacked tissues 12 (shown in phantom) are maintained to disguise the existence of the second compartment 24.

Because cover member side walls 62 and end walls 64 are parallel to container member side walls 42 and tray member end walls 54, respectively, cover member 30 is readily moved vertically upwardly with respect to container member 20 to raise at least one end wall 64 and reveal second compartment 24 for providing access there to and allowing tray member 26 to be moved endwise out of the second compartment to receive or deliver the articles 18.

Each of the members 20, 26 and 30 may be fabricated of a wide variety of materials ranging from sheet metal to cardboard and paper. Practical and decorative devices may be easily molded of any of a number of synthetic resins.

It will be apparent that the illustrated embodiment achieves the advantages which are the objects of the invention and it is to be understood that the illustrated embodiment is presented by way of example only and is not intended to restrict the invention. Various details of design and construction may be modified without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. For example, more than one concealed compartment could be provided so as to allow for the convenient disposal of use catamenial articles as well as for the storage and dispensing of fresh articles. The device itself may find use as a relatively permanent household appliance or may be adapted to cartons employed for the actual packaging and sale of catamenial articles, in which case the disguised cartons could be freely displayed for sale, as well as at home, without causing embarrassment due to the nature of the contents.

I claim:

1. A combination storage and dispensing device for storing articles in a disguised, concealed compartment and selectively dispensing such articles therefrom, said device comprising:

[A] a container member having a bottom, side members extending from said bottom to define a receptacle and means dividing said receptacle into first and second compartments;

[B] a tray member movable into and out of said second compartment and having side and end members;

[C] a cover member having a top, side and end members extending from said top, said cover member being capable of telescopically engaging said container member in a position wherein said top closes said first compartment and said cover side and end members close and conceal said second compartment with said tray member therein; and

[D] obvious means in said top providing access to said first compartment;

[B] said cover member being selectively movable with respect to said container member to move at leastone of said end members so as to reveal and provide access to said second compartment and allow said tray member to be moved endwise out of said second compartment to receive and deliver the articles.

2. A combination storage and dispensing device of claim 1 wherein said first compartment is capable of receiving a stack of disposable tissues and said obvious means includes an opening into said first compartment for dispensing said tissues so that the device has the appearance of an ordinary tissue dispensing container when said cover is in said position.

3. A combination storage and dispensing device for storing articles in a disguised, concealed compartment and selectively dispensing such articles therefrom, said device comprising:

[A] a container member having [1] a horizontal bottom,

[2] parallel side walls extending vertically upwardly from said bottom, and

[3] a partition fixed between said side walls parallel to said bottom and vertically displaced therefrom ,to provide a first compartment above said partition and a second compartment below said partition;

[B] a tray member movable into and out of said second compartment and having [1] opposite sides parallel to said side walls, and

[2] opposite ends;

[C] a cover member having [1] a horizontal top, and [2] parallel side walls and parallel end walls de pending vertical-1y downwardly trom said top,

said cover member being capable of telescoping with said container member to a position wherein said top closes said first compartment and said cover member side walls overlap said container member side walls and said cover member end walls overlap said tray member ends to close and conceal said second compartment with said tray member therein; and

[D] obvious means in said top providing visible access to said first compartment when said cover member is in said position;

[E] said cover member being selectively movable with respect to said container member to vertically raise at least one of said end walls so as to reveal and provide access to said second compartment and allow said tray member to be moved endwise out of said second compartmentto receive and deliver the articles.

4. A combination storage and dispensing device of claim 3 wherein said first compartment is capable of receiving a stack of disposable tissues and said obvious means includes an opening into said first compartment for dispensing said tissues so that the device has the appearance of an ordinary tissue dispensing container when said cover is in said position.

5. A combination storage and dispensing device for storing articles in a disguised, concealed compartment and selectively dispensing such articles therefrom, said device comprising:

[A] a container member having [1] a horizontal bottom,

[2] parallel sides extending vertically upwardly from said bottom to an upper limit, and

[3] a partition fixed between said sides parallel to said bottom and vertically displaced therefrom and from said upper limit to provide a first corn partment of'fixed vertical height above said partit-ion for receiving a stack of disposable tissues and a second compartment below said partition; and

[B] a cover member having [1] a horizontal top,

[2] parallel sides and parallel ends depending downwardly from said top a distance equal to the vertical extent of said container member sides between said bottom and upper limit, and

[3] a dispensing opening in said top,

said cover member telescoping over said container member with said top closing said first compartment and said cover member sides and ends closing and concealing said second compartment, said cover member sides overlapping said container member sides, and said dispensing opening providing an opening in said first compartment for dispensing said tissues so that the device has the appearance of an ordinary tissue dispensing container;

[C] said cover member being selectively movable upwardly with respect to said container member to vertically [raise at least one of said ends so as to reveal and provide access to said second compartment.

UNITED References Cited by the Examiner STATES PATENTS Thompson 22910 Wehmeier et a1. 2-202O Solomon 221-65 X Hassensall 312-284X Krueger 22145 Mele 31 2204 Cochran 221-402 X Drees 221-58 Robbins et al. 221282X Hanson 221-34 Great Britain.

LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner. KENNETH N. LEIMER, RAPHAEL M. LUPO,

Examiners. 

5. A COMBINATION STORAGE AND DISPENSING DEVICE FOR STORING ARTICLES IN A DISGUISED, CONCEALED COMPARTMENT AND SELECTIVELY DISPENSING SUCH ARTICLES THEREFROM, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING: (A) A CONTAINER MEMBER HAVING (1) A HORIZONTAL BOTTOM, (2) PARALLEL SIDES EXTENDING VERTICALLY UPWARDLY FROM SAID BOTTOM TO AN UPPER LIMIT, AND (3) A PARTITION FIXED BETWEEN SAID SIDES PARALLEL TO SAID BOTTOM AND VERTICALLY DISPLACED THEREFROM AND FROM SAID UPPER LIMIT TO PROVIDE A FIRST COMPARTMENT OF FIXED VERTICAL HEIGHT ABOVE SAID PARTITION FOR RECEIVING A STACK OF DISPOSABLE TISSUES AND A SECOND COMPARTMENT BELOW SAID PARTITION; AND (B) A COVER MEMBER HAVING (1) A HORIZONTAL TOP, (2) PARALLEL SIDES AND PARALLEL ENDS DEPENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID TOP A DISTANCE EQUAL TO THE VERTICAL EXTENT OF SAID CONTAINER MEMBER SIDES BETWEEN SAID BOTTOM AND UPPPER LIMIT, AND (3) A DISPENSING OPENING IN SAID TOP, SAID COVER MEMBER TELESCOPING OVER SAID CONTAINER MEMBER WITH SAID TOP CLOSING SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT AND SAID COVER MEMBER SIDES AND ENDS CLOSING AND CONCEALING SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT, SAID COVER MEMBER SIDES OVERLAPPING SAID CONTAINER MEMBER SIDES, AND SAID DISPENSING OPENING PROVIDING AN OPENING IN SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT FOR DISPENSING SAID TISSUES SO THAT THE DEVICE HAS THE APPEARANCE OF AN ORDINARY TISSUE DISPENSING CONTAINER; (C) SAID COVER MEMBER BEING SELECTIVELY MOVABLE UPWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID CONTAINER MEMBER TO VERTICALLY RAISE AT LEAST ONE OF SAID ENDS SO AS TO REVEAL AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT. 